


A Fit Of Panic And A Pit Of Darkness

by Lulaypp



Series: Whumptober 2020 [15]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: A lot of emotions and some hugs, Black Mask is only there for convenience, Gen, Heavily Implied Torture, Jason needs hugs and he gets them, Panic Attack, Permanent Blindness, Whump, Whumptober, hurt with some comfort and promises of more, kinda offscreen eye-stabbing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27200896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lulaypp/pseuds/Lulaypp
Summary: Jason wakes to darkness. Darkness and a painful reminder that the world can never be the same again.
Relationships: Bruce Wayne & Jason Todd
Series: Whumptober 2020 [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949758
Comments: 2
Kudos: 90
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	A Fit Of Panic And A Pit Of Darkness

**Author's Note:**

> Whumptober 2020 Day 26 - Blindness
> 
> Warnings: It wasn't explicitly there, but there is one, ONE, line which heavily implies an eye being stabbed. That is the only graphic thing about this story. There are also implications of torture, but it is quite very minimal, I think?
> 
> (I also have very little idea on how to write Black Mask (I got bored of having unnamed villains and thought he was handy) and I feel like this could be a little OOC?)
> 
> I love writing this one and I hope you enjoy it! Have fun and take care!

He woke up to darkness. Complete darkness. The thick blindfold was still taut around his eyes. 

A sudden creaking sound made Jason jump, the chains binding his arms behind him rattling loudly. Footsteps echoed throughout the room before stopping in front of him. A hand grabbed his chin, forcing him to look up. 

"Twenty days. This has been going on for far too long Red Hood and I am losing my patience," the man in front of him spoke. 

"Well it's too bad isn't it, Sionis," Jason retorted, his voice was hoarse and scratchy from weeks of too much screaming and too little water. "I still have a plenty." 

Black Mask’s hand moved to tighten around his throat. "Oh, it is definitely _not_ too bad. I still have an arsenal of ideas to dig that information out of you and your _immeasurable amount of_ _patience_ will serve my greatest pleasure." 

Red Hood, despite lacking sight, was able to sense the man's hovering face near his, and promptly headbutt the man out of sheer spite. A crack split the room followed by a yelp as his neck was released. Despite the aggravated headache throbbing in his skull, Jason's face split into a grin of satisfaction and mischief. It was, however, short-lived as something crashed into the side of his head, causing his ears to ring loud and shrill, leaving his mind reeling. He suddenly felt sick and nauseous. 

Black Mask roughly shoved him into the wall behind him. "You little- You _will_ regret that." 

Jason blinked against the bright stars in his eyes, trying to not throw up, as he vaguely heard footsteps marching away. While he hardly ever regrets attacking his captors, he has a sinking feeling that maybe that was a bad idea. 

Black Mask grabbed the collar of Red Hood’s jacket and slammed him into the wall again as a knife pressed at the corner of his lip. Jason stilled as dread pulled at his mind, memories of a clown fuelling his fear. "You know, I'm tempted to cut your arrogant, cocky tongue off. I can just imagine the sounds you’ll make. I’ve been told it hurts a lot. Unfortunately, I still need you to talk. But you know what I don't need?" The knife slowly crawled up, leaving behind a light trail of red, before stopping right below his eye. 

Jason's mind panicked and his heart stopped. Fear told him to scramble back as his determination told him to stand his ground. He gave a wavering snarl. 

The man chuckled, the knife wiggling over the blindfold covering his eyes. "And I bet you don't need it either. I heard you Bats can fight blind. Let's test that theory out, shall we?" 

The blade sunk deep as a scream tore through the room. 

\- 

Jason jolted up. His breathing strained and heavy and his heart beating too fast. Impenetrable darkness surrounds him as he tried to figure out where he is. The pitch-black air was suffocating. Why is it so _dark_? Why does it _hurt_ so much? Is he- No. He doesn’t want to get buried alive again. No no no no no no- 

A hand pushed him back down, making him jump and struggle, as a blurry voice flitted into his mind, words incomprehensible. He tried scrambling back but the hand painfully held him in place by his shoulder and the voice grew louder and clearer. "Jason! Jason, stop! You're going to hurt yourself." 

He knows that voice. It eased his fear but not his panic. 

"Jay. Open your- It's okay. You're alright. You're in the manor, remember?" 

Manor? Wayne Manor? But he's not there. He was at that cell. But Bruce is here with him. _And he’s trapped underground and he’s going to die and-_

"Shh... Yes. I'm here. It's going to be okay. You're okay." 

Bruce's soft voice combined with the gentle hand brushing his hair drained all fight out of him. He dropped limp. 

It all came back to him in a rush. Almost pushing him in another landslide of panic. 

He vaguely recalled some of the Bats coming to save him. He vividly remembered waking up in his room in a fit of panic and a pit of darkness. At least he was told that he was in his room at the manor. He doesn’t know where he was. Dick had said that it had been a week after he was rescued. 

He doesn't dare attempt to open his eyes now for knows what he'll see. Or what he won't see. Doing so would make it true. Make it real. And he wants it all to just be a nightmare. He doesn't want to be- 

An embrace was wrapped around him. "Shh... It's okay, Jay. I’ve got you." 

"It- it's not, Bruce" Jason's voice shook as much as his body trembled. "I'm- I'm-" He doesn't want to say it. 

"It would be alright. You just have to take it slow." 

"But I can't-" he took a steadying, shaky breath. "It is permanent!” 

"I know it is but we-" 

Frustration built up as Jason pushed Bruce away. "No, you don't get it, Bruce. I can't do this! How is Red Hood supposed to operate if he's- if he cannot see?! How am _I_ supposed to do anything?! I’m- I’m useless, Bruce. I can’t- _won’t_ be able to do _anything_. _You’re_ not going to let me do anything." Panting, he tucked his unbroken arm around his chest as his outburst aggravated it. He felt Bruce trying to pull him close and quickly jerked away. 

With a sigh, Bruce said, "Yes, you are in no condition to be going out. Even if everything else heals, Red Hood is still benched." Jason's protest was cut off by a tentative hand on his leg. "But we will figure something out, Jay. _I_ will. Something to help. I'm not giving up on you." 

Jason bit his lip, trying to keep himself from breaking down. He cannot crumble. He has already shown too much weakness over the past month. But there was a sudden dip in his bed before an arm was wrapped around him, shattering his strength. 

For the second time that day, he let himself be comforted by Bruce's consoling embrace and whispered words. The fingers slowly carding through his hair easing down his walls and bringing out more sobs with every stroke. 

For the first time that day, he tried opening his eyes, meeting the harsh, dark reality. His fingers clawed at the sheets as the truth sank in. 

He would never properly see. No matter what Bruce does. He would forever be blind. 


End file.
